Star tracker-aided airborne or spacecraft terrestrial landmark navigation system
US10048084B2 · kind B2 · utility
9Cited by
1References
31Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 16, 2016 |
| Grant date | Aug 14, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 20, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V20/17
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatus automatically determine a location, such as of an aircraft or spacecraft, by matching images of terrain below the craft, as captured by a camera, radar, etc. in the craft, with known or predicted terrain landmark data stored in an electronic data store. A star tracker measures attitude of the camera. Optionally, a rangefinder measures altitude of the camera above the terrain. A navigation filter uses the attitude, and optionally the altitude, to resolve attitude, and optionally altitude, ambiguities and thereby avoid location solution errors common in prior art terrain matching navigation systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.